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Waist-to-Hip Ratio Calculator (WHO)

Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio and see where it falls on the WHO's sex-specific health risk bands, in metric (cm) or imperial (in) units.

Waist-to-hip ratio
0.85
WHO risk category
Low risk

Where this falls

0.9 falls in the "Low risk" range.

How it works

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is simply waist circumference divided by hip circumference — a plain ratio, so unlike a formula with unit-calibrated constants (BMI's 703 factor, the Navy body fat formula), it needs no internal unit conversion: as long as waist and hip are measured in the same unit, which the page-level Metric/Imperial toggle guarantees, the ratio comes out identical either way.

The result is compared against the World Health Organization's published sex-specific risk bands, which use different thresholds because women naturally carry more mass around the hips relative to the waist than men do: for men, under 0.90 is low risk, 0.90 to just under 1.0 is moderate, and 1.0 or above is high; for women, under 0.80 is low, 0.80 to just under 0.85 is moderate, and 0.85 or above is high. The gauge below shows exactly where your ratio falls within those sex-specific bands.

FAQ

How is this different from BMI or the body fat calculator?

BMI and the Navy body fat method estimate overall body size or fat percentage; WHR instead measures fat distribution — specifically, how much fat is carried around the abdomen relative to the hips. A person can have a normal BMI but a high WHR, since WHR is about where fat sits, not how much of it there is overall.

Where exactly should I measure my waist and hips for this?

Measure the waist at the narrowest point between the ribs and hip bone (roughly navel level for most people), and the hips at their widest point around the buttocks. Consistent placement matters, since this ratio is sensitive to small differences in where the tape is held.

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